Smyrna times., 1887-01-05

IN Cl1b AND IhE NEW L AEAR.-It
IS appropriate that a community. a
State, or Nation, as well as an indi-
vidual, should review the events. the
lessons, the experience of a completed
year. In this country the year recently
closed has not been a'period productive
ofprominent historical events. National
and social! affairs, though constantly
Interesting, have not developed a scale
OF magnitude sufficient to cause the
pages of history to bristle withinterest
still, very many occurrences and events
have taken place which have attracted
general attention at home, and have
been worthy Of notice also from abroad
In answer to the query whether our
country at large is in a better general
condition than at the close of the wear
1850, we must say, it does not appear.
But we must also conclude that if it is
NOT, the fault is with the people. Prov
ldence has been merciful and gen
erous; Nature has been propitious ex-
cept in few instances of calamity. as
the Charleston earthquake, some de-
strucilYe storms, and the ordinary
number of tOrnadOes and cyclones.
which SO large territory, of so great
diversity of surface can hardly hope to
escape altogether. We have been in n
condition Of peace and good feeling
with all nations, no rumOrs of wars
except the memorable Mexican furry
IN connection with the Cutting case
and the possibly increasing difficulties
OF the fisheries questions in so entirely
friendly relations with other powers
That we scarcely give a thought to the
matter Of standing army or coast
defences. The average harvests have
been reasonably satisfactory, and with
the exception of local failures of small
crops the producing classes have had no
good reason to complain. The land
has been exempted from epidemics of
disease, free from plague and pesti-
lence; the general sanitary condition
has been favorable and the death rate
moderate. We are led to note here the
remarkable mortality among prominent
men, in which line we trust the open
ing year wilbbe less conspicuous. The
State and National political enginery
has been operated with 10 very start
ling conclusions or collisions; the bus
mess and commercial aspect has suf-
fered no reversal in fact, the business
outlook for the new year we must con-
slider more favorable than for number
OF years past. In very many of our
cities and smaller towns building and
other improvements have been pushed
forward, and there has been less of a
scarcity of employment for artisans and
laboring 9en than usual.
A $50 was notably a period OF
internal disturbances in the line of
labor strikes, social dissatisfaction.
organized disorganization, so to sneak
and consequent uncertainty, hesitation
ana embarrassment on the part of man
uiacturlng interests. Indeed. the great
discomfort among the working men in
all parts of the country has been appar-
entity phenomenal, an infection which
has spread broadcast; and as we view
the whole subject and examine it with
candid judgment We must decide that
the interests of all concerned. those of
the capitalist and manufacturer. and
certainly those Of the laborer would
have been in much better condition To-
day if that incendiary delirium. the
labor strike had been unknown in the
last twelve months. The great moral
and religious questions stand perhaps
IN stdtU quo; the reform organizations.
by the influence of moral suasion are
holding their own, but there has not
been the advancement that the people.
IN this age of intelligence ought TO
demand. The monster vices. which
directly and indirectly, are really the
sweeping nndereurrento of all dangerous
agitation, are still comparatively nm
checked, and 1887 opens to them as a
promising period oframpant prosperity
In short, in a fair view Of the caes
the departed year has been what we
vast community Of ifty million peonIe !.
have made itsg So will be the ro,,,
year; no prophet can predict orr
future, the future is not vet. we .ol-o
itiaswe go forward. Il is to be boned
that MANY ofthe events Of the old viii
not be repeated in the new, that
desire for quiet and order shall prevail
that a spirit of fearnestness, justice and
Industry shall abound, SO that the
opening year may prove to be am
epoch of great general progress aud
mutual benefit.